Osteospermum plant named ‘Sevamil’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Sevamil’, characterized by its compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; and pale yellow-colored ray florets and dark purple-tipped disc florets.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Osteospermum eckloniscultivar Sevamil.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sevamil’.

The new Osteospermum was discovered as a naturally-occurring whole plantmutation of the Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Seikilrem, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,407.

The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor inJune, 2000, as a single flowering plant within a population of plants ofthe parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Sondersoe, Denmark.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by terminal vegetativecuttings was first conducted in Sondersoe, Denmark in August, 2000.Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features ofthis new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sevamil has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sevamil’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sevamil’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum:

1. Compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching growth habit.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Pale yellow-colored ray florets and dark purple-tipped disc florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum are most similar to plants of the parent,the cultivar Seikilrem. Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarilyfrom plants of the cultivar Seikilrem in ray floret coloration as plantsof the cultivar Seikilrem have bright yellow-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Osteospermum showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newOsteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sevamil’ grown in a 15-cm container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences, inflorescence buds and leaves of ‘Sevamil’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoornursery during the late spring and early summer under full sunconditions with day temperatures ranging from 18 to 35° C. and nighttemperatures ranging from 7 to 18° C. After planting rooted cuttings,plants were grown for about six weeks in 15-cm containers. Colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Sevamil.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Osteospermumecklonis cultivar Seikilrem, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,407.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate rooting.—About 14 days at 20° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 28 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous container and garden plant. Compact andmounded plant habit; initially upright and then outwardly spreading.Freely branching, about 16 lateral branches develop after pinching;dense and full plants. Vigorous growth habit.

Plant height.—About 25 cm.

Plant width or area of spread.—About 46 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internodelength: About 1.5 cm. Aspect: Upright to outward. Strength: Strong.Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About 5.5cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded to broadly acute.Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture,upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing foliage,upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fullyexpanded foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146B. Venation, uppersurface: 147D. Venation, lower surface: 147C. Petiole: Length: About 5mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous.Color, upper and lower surfaces: 147D.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Terminal and axillary inflorescences held above and beyondthe foliage on moderately strong peduncles. Composite inflorescenceform, radially symmetrical, with ligulate-shaped ray florets and discflorets massed at the center; ray and disc florets arranged acropetallyon a capitulum. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences face uprightor outward.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuous and freely from the springthrough the fall.

Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color andsubstance for about five to ten days on the plant when grown in anoutdoor environment.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering; at one time, about sevento ten open inflorescences and inflorescence buds per lateral stem.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Inflorescence bud (at stage of showing color).—Length: About 1.5 cm.Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, ray florets, lower or outersurface: 2A.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.5 cm. Depth (height): About 1.75cm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.3 cm.Receptacle height: About 1 cm.

Ray florets.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Ligulate.Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Smooth, satiny. Orientation: Initially upright then about 45to 60° from vertical. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 18in one whorl. Color: When opening, upper surface: 11D. When opening,lower surface: Ground color, 12C, with fine longitudinal stripes, 191Bto 191C. Fully opened, upper surface: 11D; towards base, 79B to 79C;color fading to close to 155D with development. Fully opened, lowersurface: Ground color, 13B, with fine longitudinal stripes, 191C to191D.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length:About 9 mm. Width: At apex: About 2 mm. At base: About 1 mm. Number ofdisc florets per inflorescence: About 70. Color: Immature: 146A tippedwith 103A. Mature, apex: 14C tipped with 79A. Mature, mid-section andbase: 155D.

Phyllaries.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Linear.Apex: Acuminate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Slightly pubescent. Number per inflorescence: About 15 in asingle whorl. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.

Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 8.5 cm. Length, thirdpeduncle: About 9 cm. Length, fifth peduncle: About 6.5 cm. Diameter:About 1.5 mm. Angle: Terminal peduncles, erect; secondary and tertiarypeduncles, about 45 to 60° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.Texture: Slightly glandular; smooth. Color: 144B.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five per floret; fusedaround style. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.Anther color: 103A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 23A. Gynoecium:Pistil number: One per floret. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape:Two-parted. Stigma color: 79B. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:155A. Ovary color: 145A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toOsteospermum has not been observed on plants grown under commercialgreenhouse or outdoor conditions.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been observedto tolerate temperatures from 4 to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plantnamed ‘Sevamil’, as illustrated and described.